It’s hard to believe that Sesame Street turned 40 this past year, but it’s true. For forty years, kids across the country have been learning how to count, spell, and remember what they were supposed to buy at the grocery store. (A loaf of bread, a container of milk, and a stick of butter. I’m nearly as old as Sesame Street and I still remember!)
Of course, our furry pals on that famous street have been concerned about the environment for a long time, but even moreso now that things like global warming are on everyone’s minds. (Check out TreeHugger’s round-up of Sesame Street’s environmental videos for some fun.) But don’t worry—a recent National Geographic article stressed that issues are always presented in a “let’s take care of our planet” kind of way, not in a “hey kids, we’re destroying the earth!” manner. Heh.
As parents, we can feel like we’re doing some small part along with Sesame Street now by checking out the personalized Sesame Street shirts now available at Ty’s Toy Box—they’re all printed on organic cotton! Your kids get all of the friendly characters they love, and you get the all-natural fabric you want. Everyone wins!
Of course, there’s plenty of other goodies in the Sesame Street Store, just in case you need a giant Grover, or something. I don’t judge. (In fact, I kind of want one of those for my room. I suspect my husband will not agree, however.)
Congratulations on 40 awesome years, Sesame Street! Here’s to the next 40!
Everything old is new again, and the Care Bears are no exception. Yes, I remember them from my childhood—back in the Paleolithic Era, natch—and recently they’ve made a huge comeback. And why not? What’s not to like about colorful, cuddly teddy bears bringing a message and sharing and caring with friends? Nothing, that’s what. All of these “retro” toy lines coming back have staying power because kids love ‘em, and as a parent, it’s hard to argue with a cartoon promoting such great messages.
Did you happen to catch the Care Bears in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade this year? Yep, they were there! They did a bit of ice skating while Carly Simon sang. Not too shabby.
Psssst… there’s still time to order for Christmas! Visit the Ty’s Toy Box Care Bears Store for all of those hard-to-find Care Bears items you can’t get anywhere else. May I suggest the Bear Buddies DVD? It’s got eight never-before-seen episodes from the Adventures in Care-a-Lot Saturday morning show, and is a must-have for any Care Bears fan. And—of course—as you face down the days of holiday vacation, you may find the Official Care Bears Site has a few things to keep your little one busy. Just an idea.
‘Tis the season for all things Care Bears, and for all good things. Happy holidays from all of us here at Ty’s Toy Box!
Sorry, did I get that song stuck in your head? It is pretty catchy.
I’ve been a huge fan of Veggie Tales ever since Big Idea began—perhaps it’s something about talking, singing produce… or maybe it’s the great ideals behind the stories… but mostly I think it’s the Silly Songs. If you’re unfamiliar with Veggie Tales, perhaps you’ll enjoy one of our favorites:
(Usta!)
Anyway, I kind of have a thing for Veggie Tales, is my point. And now Ty’s does, too—check out the new Veggie Tales Store here at Ty’s Toy Box! Not only do we have a wide assortment of Veggie goodness, for a limited time you can use coupon code Veggie10 to take 10% off your $25+ order of Veggie Tales merchandise. I think Larry the Cucumber would approve.
Welcome to Ty’s, Veggie Tales! Now, about that water buffalo….
Kindergarteners are naturally bouncy and curious, but you’d be hard pressed to find a more lovable gang of ‘em than Betsy and her pals, the PBS animated show about their adventures at Lakeshore School.
For kids, it’s a chance to see that starting school is a little bit scary for everyone, but mostly the gateway to fun and adventure. For parents, it’s half an hour of peace while your kid blisses out to some wholesome PBS programming. Heh. Also, check out the voice talent on board—plenty of actors even us “old folks” will recognize from show past, like Tom Bosley, Fred Willard, and even Sally Struthers. And Nancy Cartwright (the voice of Bart Simpson) does three of the characters, too.
My son thinks this week is better than Christmas, and it’s not because of a deep love of turkey. No, he’s practically vibrating with excitement because on Wednesday, Ben 10: Alien Swarm (warning: link has sound) is coming to Cartoon Network and fulfilling all of his Ben 10 fantasies. Well, he hopes so, anyway.
Me, I’m a sucker for old school—I prefer the cartoon to the live-action franchise. But even I have to admit that the trailer looks pretty enticing for the tween/teen boy set:
And while some of us like to gear up for a day of thanks with endless football games, who am I to judge a smallish boy who is thankful for aliens and intergalactic intrigue?
Want more? There’s a great article about the upcoming movie over at Animation Insider, and of course we have everything a Ben 10: Alien Force fan could possibly want in the Ty’s Toy Box Ben 10 Store, too. And I’m not telling you what to do, but the holidays are coming up. Just sayin’.
I have a thing for the toys from my youth that come back in new incarnations. I don’t know whether it’s nostalgia or the opportunity to tell my kids I had something like that “back in my day” or what, but it just tickles me.
What tickles me even more is when an iconic toy from my youth shows up somewhere very now. And that’s what’s going to happen this coming Thursday (November 19th, 2009) —Teddy Ruxpin is going to appear on NBC’s 30 Rock.
(I think it goes without saying that I’ve already set my DVR.)
Whether or not you’re a fan of 30 Rock (although, seriously, that show is hilarious), I think we can all agree that once you’ve done a stint as, um, guest bear on a hit NBC comedy, you’ve arrived.
Of course, here at Ty’s the Teddy Ruxpin Store is ready for everyone, holiday shoppers and Tina Fey fans alike. We don’t discriminate. And if you can present a Teddy to a child you love with a comment about how you remember when he first came out (or that you saw him on TV just recently) (or both!), well, so much the better. But whatever works for you.
(But, um, Teddy? If you could get me Tina Fey’s autograph…?)
I don’t know about you, but for me, pretty much after Halloween passes, it’s just a blink of the eyes before we’re at New Year’s. It happens every year, and every year I’m confused by it. This year I’ve decided to embrace it; I officially declare it to be Holiday Season, now, and while that may still irk me a little (it’s not even Thanksgiving yet, after all), at least maybe I’ll be less surprised when Christmas arrives.
Anyway—with that in mind—it seems like a great time to point out that Rudolph and his friends have arrived at Ty’s Toy Box, and there’s a great array of products for the whole family. You can stuff stockings with Clarice’s lip balm, surprise your favorite individualist with a Celebrate Nonconformity ornament, or perhaps you know someone special who wants to be a dentist. Really, I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love Rudolph, Herbie, and the whole gang on the Island of Misfit Toys, so chances are excellent you’ll be able to find something for everyone.
You may think it’s a little early for this, but trust me—it’s not. It’ll be December before you know it!
I have a little crush on Olivia. I can’t help it; she’s simply adorable, and she gives me an excuse to call my children piglets. (What? Oh, like you’ve never done that.)
I love everything about her, and although my children have outgrown her, a bit, I still love her official website and playing with all it has to offer. Did you know that Olivia creator Ian Falconer comes from a background in art (that explains the sparse but so demonstrative illustrations, yes?) and came up with Olivia based on his niece? It’s true, and I learned it on the website.
And now there’s a slew of new merchandise in the Olivia the Pig Store here at Ty’s Toy Box, just in time for the holidays.
We can’t say that we’re surprised at the recent successes of Idbids; after all, what’s not to like about fun, soft toy characters who promote a love of taking care of our planet? Absolutely nothing, that’s what.
Still, when we last checked in with the Idbids gang, they’d just won yet another award, and no one would think any less of Scout, Lola and Waverly if the summer had been a quiet one.
But that’s just not the Idbids’ style, I guess. Since then, the Idbids have added two more feathers to their cap.
Of course, the Idbids Store here at Ty’s is still ready to meet all of your Idbids needs; whether it’s the Idbids plush toys themselves (they’re on sale right now!) or personalized t-shirts, you’ll find them right here.
Congratulations on the recent successes, Idbids! I guess iddy biddy steps really can make a biggie big difference!
I know that it’s a show meant for little kids, and maybe part of it is a bit of precocious nostalgia, but my “big” kids absolutely love the Mr. Men Show. If they stay home sick? That’s what they’re looking for on the television. It’s kind of adorable.
Then again, what’s not to like—there’s a Mr. Men or Little Miss character to suit everyone, and they’re so delightfully goofy, they appeal to kids (and adults) of all ages.
Well, we’re thrilled to announce that the Mr. Men Store here at Ty’s has been revamped and restocked and now carries just about anything you could possibly want for your favorite Mr. Men and Little Miss enthusiast. From personalized clothing to books and DVDs to toys and games, if it’s Mr. Men or Little Miss themed, you’ll find it here.
Now, don’t make me launch into a story that starts, “Back in my day, we only had little square Mr. Men books, and they cost a dollar apiece, and we liked it….” Because I totally will, and a story like that can only end with, “You darn kids get off of my lawn.”
So yeah, the characters have been around for a while. But they’re still awesome, and it’s always fun to watch your kids fall in love with something you loved as a kid.
It’s hard to believe that Sesame Street turned 40 this past year, but it’s true. For forty years, kids across the country have been learning how to count, spell, and remember what they were supposed to buy at the grocery store. (A loaf of bread, a container of milk, and a stick of butter. I’m nearly as old as Sesame Street and I still remember!)
Everything old is new again, and the Care Bears are no exception. Yes, I remember them from my childhood—back in the Paleolithic Era, natch—and recently they’ve made a huge comeback. And why not? What’s not to like about colorful, cuddly teddy bears bringing a message and sharing and caring with friends? Nothing, that’s what. All of these “retro” toy lines coming back have staying power because kids love ‘em, and as a parent, it’s hard to argue with a cartoon promoting such great messages.
Broccoli… celery… gotta be…
Kindergarteners are naturally bouncy and curious, but you’d be hard pressed to find a more lovable gang of ‘em than 
My son thinks this week is better than Christmas, and it’s not because of a deep love of turkey. No, he’s practically vibrating with excitement because on Wednesday, 
I have a thing for the toys from my youth that come back in new incarnations. I don’t know whether it’s nostalgia or the opportunity to tell my kids I had something like that “back in my day” or what, but it just tickles me.
I don’t know about you, but for me, pretty much after Halloween passes, it’s just a blink of the eyes before we’re at New Year’s. It happens every year, and every year I’m confused by it. This year I’ve decided to embrace it; I officially declare it to be Holiday Season, now, and while that may still irk me a little (it’s not even Thanksgiving yet, after all), at least maybe I’ll be less surprised when Christmas arrives.
I have a little crush on Olivia. I can’t help it; she’s simply adorable, and she gives me an excuse to call my children piglets. (What? Oh, like you’ve never done that.)
We can’t say that we’re surprised at the recent successes of 
I know that it’s a show meant for little kids, and maybe part of it is a bit of precocious nostalgia, but my “big” kids absolutely love the